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Elections

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1. Where do I vote?

To find out which polling location you vote at, visit the Minnesota Secretary of State Poll Finder

2. Am I registered to vote? How do I register? Am I eligible?

You can find out if you are registered to vote or how to register to vote and the eligibility requirements. Visit the website at Minnesota Secretary of State

3. Can I absentee vote? How do I absentee vote?

In Minnesota, you do not have to wait until Election Day to vote — you can vote early with an absentee ballot. You can vote early in person at city hall or vote early by mail. Check out the following website for details. Minnesota Secretary of State

4. How do I file for City Council? How can I become a City Council candidate?

At least two (2) weeks prior to the first day of filing an Affidavit of Candidacy, the City Clerk shall cause to be published in the official newspaper a notice of filing for municipal office. The notice of filing shall designate the officer to be elected, the period during which affidavits of candidacy may be filed, and the time and place for filing such affidavits. Not more than 84 days nor less than 70 days before the municipal primary election any person who is eligible and desires to become a candidate for a municipal office shall file an Affidavit of Candidacy with the City Clerk. The affidavit shall be substantially the same form as required of candidates for state offices. Upon receiving a completed Affidavit of Candidacy form and the payment of a filing fee of $25 by a potential candidate or filing by the petition of 50 registered voters on behalf of the candidate, the clerk shall certify the eligibility of the candidate and place the name of the candidate on the election ballot without partisan designation.

5. Where and when can the political signs be placed?

Portable and freestanding campaign signs may be erected without a sign permit for a period of not more than sixty (60) days before and ten (10) days after an election provided no one sign is greater than sixteen (16) square feet in area, except that there shall be no limitation on the size of campaign or other noncommercial signs during the period from forty-six (46) days before a state primary in a state general election year until ten (10) days following the state general election. Freestanding campaign signs may be installed only upon private property with the permission of the property owner who shall be responsible for removal thereof. The candidate whose candidacy is promoted by an improperly placed or otherwise illegal campaign sign shall be held responsible therefor. Signs must be at least ten (10) feet back from the back of the curb or improved edge of a roadway and at least two (2) feet back from the improved edge of a trail or sidewalk and outside of the sight triangle defined in Section 35-560 (see definition below).

Sign posters that are tacked or posted on trees, fences, utility poles, or other such supports are prohibited.

Section 35-560. VISIBILITY AT INTERSECTIONS. In order to preserve and promote the public safety, nothing shall be erected, placed, planted, maintained, or allowed to grow on a corner lot in any district in such a manner as materially to impede vision between a height of two and one-half feet and 10 feet above the centerline grades of the intersection streets in the triangle bounded by the property lines of such corner lot and a straight line joining points on such property lines 25 feet from their intersection of the property lines.

6. Are public meetings prohibited on Election Day? (Minn. Stat. 204C.03)

Subdivision 1. School districts; counties; municipalities; special taxing districts. No special taxing district governing body, school board, county board of commissioners, city council, or town board of supervisors shall conduct a meeting between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. on the day that an election is held within the boundaries of the special taxing district, school district, county, city, or town. As used in this subdivision, “special taxing district” has the meaning given in section 275.066.
Subdivision 2. State colleges and universities. Except for regularly scheduled classes, no Minnesota state college or university shall schedule an event between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. on the day that an election is held in any political subdivision in which the university or college is located.
Subdivision 3. Public elementary and secondary schools. Except for regularly scheduled classes, a public elementary or secondary school may not schedule a school sponsored event between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. on the day that a regularly scheduled election is held in any political subdivision in which the school is located.
Subdivision 4. State government. No state agency, board, commission, department, or committee shall conduct a public meeting on the day of the state primary or general election.

7. Where do I get information on political parties or candidates?

The Minnesota Secretary of State office has political party links at the following website Secretary of State

8. When are the next municipal elections?

Brooklyn Center holds elections in the even-numbered years. The Primary is held on the 2nd Tuesday in August. The General Election is held on the 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November.